fresh start
- Melissa Westemeier
- Dec 29, 2025
- 3 min read
It's that time of year when people start talking about making resolutions, but I don't because I think they suck. Resolved means "firmly determined to do something." A resolution is "a firm decision to do or not do something." Decisions doesn't mean squat in my book. Making a decision is as pointless as making a wish, it's just thoughts and words which are meaningless without action and effort. Decisions don't mean anything actually changes. I'm a woman of ACTION because shit needs to GET DONE. When I see a problem, my immediate impulse is to act, DO something about it. A person can decide all day long they need to paint a room or eat less sugar or save money, but until they start taking ACTION, nothing happens. In short, if someone tells me they made a New Year's Resolution, I'm like:
At the end of every year, I make PLANS for the year ahead. I get out a notebook and start writing down lists of what I'd like to DO or ACCOMPLISH. People often laugh when I tell them my plans they're not always focused on self-improvement either. One year I planned to take more baths because we had this huge tub and all I ever did was clean it, so I added "Take baths" to my list of things I wanted to do that upcoming year. These annual lists include things I'd like to get done around the house (clean and tidy bookcases, for example), experiences I'd like to have (learn how to make macarons) and goals (complete a manuscript, write another Yellowstone short story, and learn how to use BookFunnel).
These annual lists absolutely reflect my values just as clearly as my annual budget does. We spend our money and our time on what we believe to be important. I think building community is extremely important, so I always include volunteering and participating in local events on my lists. That's how I wound up becoming at tutor at our local literacy center and dusting off my library card. Learning and education are also important to me, so I have a goal of attending at least one workshop or watching one educational video every month. Success as a writer is important to me, and this requires exposure to new audiences, so I discovered conferences to attend and organizations to join in order to expand my network. I also joined online groups and searched out ways to promote myself.
Sure, life throws me curve balls every year and I wind up not crossing off some items (still haven't biked the entire distance of the Newton Blackmour-Duck Creek Trail) while also achieving unexpected things (starting a podcast was NEVER in my playbook). Stuff's always outside of my control, but that's no excuse not to make plans.
In 2026 I plan to travel to two new places I've never visited, tidy my bookshelves (hey, 2026 might be the year it happens!), find an agent to rep some of my projects, and experience one cultural event every month. Also on the list: complete two manuscripts (including a new Nun the Wiser Mystery), write another Yellowstone short story, improve my Canva skills, and figure out Pinterest. As part of my goal to get my books in front of more readers, I'm teaming up with eleven different mystery writers in a year-long newsletter swap, which means all my newsletter subscribers will get 11 free books this year!
Oh, and I will DEFINITELY read more books! I have stacks of books and I truly should not buy any more until I eliminate a few off the TBR pile! On a related note, I've got to locate a few Little Free Libraries so I can unload some of my ABR pile.
Spill it, reader. Have you made plans for 2026? Any that you'd like to share with the group? I'd love to hear them because you might give me some good ideas!
Re resolutions: I do not make them. I just don't need that kind of pressure and certain failure. That said, we do have vague plans to hack our old and unfixable piano to pieces and replace it with an upright.
A long time ago I was in an exercise class. In late December the instructor had us write a New Year's resolution on a chalkboard and then she took a photo of us with that resolution. Mine was "eat more celery". Every single person asked me, "Oh, do you hate celery?" Everyone was flummoxed by my reply: "No, I like celery and I want more of it in my life." Apparently the world associates New Year's resolutions with austeri…
I don't do resolutions either. I'm still working on my plans, but so far they include finishing a hardscaping project in the front yard, a variety of projects inside the house, and of course travel.